Once upon a Preschool
by statkika12
Summary: Charlotte briefly reevaluates her fairy tale life after figuring out who the father of her daughter Rosie's new preschool friend is.


It was a crisp, sunny, autumn day, as Charlotte walked to pick up her daughter from preschool. As she looked at all the leaves turning different colors up above, she couldn't help but smile. How lucky was this Manhattan princess that she was finally living the fairy tale life. She soon entered the preschool and saw little four-year-old Rosie with curly black hair and chubby cheeks running towards her. Her little pink backpack bopped up and down as she ran. "Mommy! Mommy!" "Hi, sweetie!" Charlotte knelt down to embrace her daughter. "Mommy, I made a new friend today. This is TJ." Rosie said, pointing to a little dark-haired boy who came and stood by her side. Charlotte then turned to the little boy. "Hi TJ, aren't you just a handsome fellow." she said with a smile. "Hi." The little boy replied shyly. "Mommy, can TJ come over someday and play?" "Why, sure." Charlotte answered. "If it's okay with his mommy and daddy, that is."

Just then, a pretty, petite, young Asian woman came in and the little boy's eyes brightened. "Mommy!" He ran to her and extended his arms. "Hey there, buddy." The woman said as she struggled to lift him. "You're becoming a big boy just like your daddy, aren't ya?" She then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and put him down. Charlotte then turned to the young lady. "Hi, I'm Charlotte Goldenblatt. My daughter was just introducing me to your son." she said as she extended her hand. "Already pairing up in preschool, I see." The young woman answered and Charlotte responded with a chuckle. "Oh, my name's Jenny." she continued as she reached to shake Charlotte's hand. "Jenny MacDougal." MacDougal? Charlotte's heart suddenly skipped a beat. "Yeah, I know that doesn't sound Chinese." Jenny went on. "My husband's actually Scottish. We met when I was finishing up my residency in cardiology at Langone and he became the chair of the department there. Of course, the chair dating an attending is a big no-no, but we started going out a year later when I got my new position at Presbyterian, and, well, one thing led to another." "Uh-huh." Charlotte simply was at a loss for words.

Jenny's pager then went off. "Oh, no; looks like I have to go in today, after all. And just when I promised the nanny she could have the afternoon off. Well, such is the life of a doctor, I guess." she sighed. "But it was nice meeting you, Charlotte. Next time, we'll have to exchange numbers, maybe arrange a play date for the kids." It was then that Charlotte said something that she thought she's never hear again, much less utter herself. "Alrighty then." After that, Jenny burst into laughter. "Oh, I'm so sorry, it's just that I've never heard anyone other than my husband say that. And that's his go-to phrase. Well, say goodbye, TJ." "Bye, Rosie." said that the little boy waving to Charlotte's daughter. "Bye." Rosie answered and waved back.

On the cab ride home, while Rosie was playing with her favorite doll and singing her favorite nursery rhyme song, a million thoughts raced through Charlotte's minds. Trey MacDougal was actually married again? Trey actually had a son? TJ must have stood for Trey, Jr., no doubt. And how did Bunny ever allow Trey to go out with someone like Jenny? She still remembered the day when she was repulsed by Bunny telling her that she would never approve Trey and her adopting a daughter of the South Pacific. And yet Trey ended up married to one. She knew that Bunny had passed away a few years ago, and she couldn't help but wonder if Bunny ever met Jenny or not. Maybe Trey and Jenny dating was what killed her? And then, Charlotte started having thoughts that scared her a bit. What if she stayed with Trey after all? What if they eventually did have a baby of their own? What if they really were destined to live happily ever after? "Mommy, are you okay?" Rosie's asked, disrupting Charlotte's train of thought. Charlotte turned to her daughter who was looking up at her with her big, brown eyes and smiled. "Yes, honey, I'm fine." Charlotte was trying to convince herself of that as much as she was tried to convince Rosie.

When Rosie and Charlotte arrived home, they were greeted by Harry, who was working from home that day, and Lilly, whom Harry just picked up from ballet practice. "Hi mom." Lily said. "Lily!" Rosie squealed and ran to her big sister. "Hiya, squirt!" Lily then said, catching Rosie and starting to tickle her. The two girls started giggling as their parents looked on, smiling. Harry then approached his wife, wrapped his arm around her waist, and gave her a kiss. "Welcome, home, hon." That moment, when Charlotte looked into Harry's eyes, she realized that all the thoughts she was having in the cab ride were silly. Trey was never meant to be her Prince Charming, Harry was. And she just wished that Trey was able to live happily ever after with his new family, like she was with hers.


End file.
